The minister of information, Hon. Ledgehood Rennie has said that the Government of Liberia has taken due note of the 2020 Human Rights report Released by the U.S. Government on Liberia.

Speaking today at the ministry of information regular press briefing, minister Rennie said From the perspective of the Government, the report is largely positive and reflective of the general human rights situation of the country, not necessarily laying full-scale blame on the administration of President Goerge M. Weah, but rather the ecosystem of the country’s governance system which predates this administration.

He emphasized that the report highlights what we believe are age-old institutional pitfalls and challenges that have bedeviled the country’s governance structures over long years of inaction on these fronts,,, (Pause) And we as a government we take due note of these issues.

“If you read the report in its entirety, you will see that areas of mention of Human Rights violations are actually not out-rightly tied to a Weah-led Government conscious and deliberate attempt at violating the rights of ordinary citizens” the minister said.

The minister further narrated that other than the entrenched institutional and eco-systemic governance structures pitfalls that predate this administration, like, legal and judicial weaknesses and excesses; corruption; challenges in confronting and breaking away from culture and tradition beliefs and practices that are termed as repugnant to western HR Standards, majority of the issues raised were mainly centered around individuals working within or for the government, but their actions were neither sanctioned by the government

The minister mentioned that on the face of the 2020 human rights report, he said reviewing recent past reports and drawing from where they as government have transitioned as a country, “we can clearly see that progress is slow, but steady and continual…as we strive in our efforts as a country to reform and in some cases overhaul entire governance machinery.

So the Government takes due note of the Report.

And I want to say that there has already been diplomatic conversation between the Government of Liberia and the Government of the United States in key areas of concern” he stressed.

Minister Rennie listed these below are positives of the report:

No Political Prisoners/ No disappearances

Respect for Peaceful Assembly and Association

Press Freedom and Free expression encouraged

Acknowledgement of Govt efforts against Sexual and Gender-based violence

Respect for Constitutional rights and guarantee

Meanwhile minister has said that the State Department didn’t blame the unfortunate deaths of the IAA Boss and the 4 LRA Professionals on the Govt as some members of the opposition have sought to portray.